Pakistan's Poverty Rate Rises by 7% Over Six Years, Adding 27 Million Poor
Pakistan's poverty rate increased from 21.9% in 2018-19 to 28.9% in 2024-25, adding about 27 million people to the poor population, now totaling 70 million, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26. Poverty rose across all provinces, with Balochistan having the highest incidence and Punjab the lowest. Rural poverty increased from 28.2% to 36.2%, and urban poverty from 11% to 17.4%. The survey attributes this rise to economic shocks, inflation, currency depreciation, IMF measures, climate disasters, and regional conflicts. Income inequality also widened, with the Gini coefficient rising from 28.4 to 32.7.
First-hand measurement across 3 sources
We measured how 3 outlets covered this story. Coverage leans balanced overall (Left 27%, Centre 73%, Right 0%). Overall sentiment is negative (25/100). Lens Score 30/100 — low public interest.
Outlets analysed (first-hand measurement by TBN's Bias Engine):
- thetelegraph— balanced framing, negative sentiment
- economictimes— left-leaning framing, negative sentiment
- news18— balanced framing, negative sentiment
AI Analysis
The articles present a largely factual and data-driven perspective based on the Pakistan Economic Survey, focusing on economic indicators without partisan framing. They include government-released statistics and attribute poverty increases to multiple economic and external factors. The coverage reflects a neutral stance, emphasizing economic challenges without political commentary or blame.
The overall tone across the articles is neutral to slightly negative, reflecting concern over rising poverty and inequality. The language is factual and descriptive, highlighting worsening economic conditions and their impacts without emotive or sensational expressions. The sentiment conveys seriousness about the socioeconomic situation while maintaining an objective reporting style.
How 3 sources covered this story
Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.